Wen Tianxiang (crater)
 MESSENGER NAC mosaic | |
| Planet | Mercury |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°20′S 191°36′W / 45.34°S 191.6°W |
| Quadrangle | Neruda |
| Diameter | 166.42 km (103.41 mi) |
| Eponym | Wen Tianxiang |
Wen Tianxiang is a crater on Mercury. Its name was adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in June 2020, and it is named for Chinese writer and poet Wen Tianxiang.[1]
Wen Tianxiang is one of 110 peak ring basins on Mercury.[2]
Within southern Wen Tianxiang crater is Yinshe Facula, a bright area associated with a small crater. Yinshe is the Chinese word for silver snake.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "Wen Tianxiang". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/NASA/USGS. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- ^ Chapman, C. R., Baker, D. M. H., Barnouin, O. S., Fassett, C. I., Marchie, S., Merline, W. J., Ostrach, L. R., Prockter, L. M., and Strom, R. G., 2018. Impact Cratering of Mercury. In Mercury: The View After MESSENGER edited by Sean C. Solomon, Larry R. Nittler, and Brian J. Anderson. Cambridge Planetary Science. Chapter 9.
- ^ "Yinshe Facula". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/NASA/USGS. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
